One Last Time
by Dreamycupcake
Summary: May promised herself she wouldn't keep secrets from him, but... One last time.
1. Chapter 1

_I have a feeling this story is gonna be long... But here we go._

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><p>May's thankful this meeting is over. If she was honest with herself she wasn't able to look him in the eye. Ever since he saw those needles in her bag she's been hoping he won't ask about it. She's the last one to turn and leave, but then she hears his voice. "I know you are avoiding me." She closes her eyes. Trapped.<p>

Coulson puts his pen down and stares at the back of her head. She takes a deep breath and turns to face him. "What makes you think I'm avoiding you?" She puts her hands together in front of her. "Are we going to talk about what I saw in your bag?" He ignores her question with his own.

"No. Did you just ignore my question with your own?" She asks and makes him grin. She's so smart. Always has been. "Yes." He nods looking serious again. "Are you trying to protect me from the truth again?" He knows that is not the case.

May shakes her head negatively. "No." Her answer is short as always. She can see he's getting frustrated, when he walks in front of his desk.

"Are you protecting someone else?" Coulson asks after a short silence between them. May swallows. She is protecting someone. _Herself_. "Yes."

"Do I know this person you are trying to protect?" He knows he's pushing her, but she won't tell him otherwise. He needs to know who's using those needles and for what. Someone must be sick, because there's no drug abuse backgrounds in any of his team members.

May promised herself. After all the secrets she kept from him that she wouldn't do that anymore. It hurt him and it's the last thing she wants to do. "You do." She whispers and meets his eyes after staring into space.

He walks closer and is suddenly standing in her personal space. "Who?" He asks quietly. She stays silent. "Agent May."

May then looks up to meet his eyes. She needed a moment to not let herself get emotional in front of him. She can't tell him, not when there's still a chance for her. "It's classified, Director." May says quietly.

"Excuse me?" That doesn't work anymore. He's the Director and she his agent unless she's working for someone else too. He takes a step back. "Are you working for your mother?" Coulson looks away, when she doesn't answer.

"That's all." He says calmly, yet she hears anger in his voice. When Coulson looks up he sees _Agent May_ walking away. She's keeping secrets. He thought they were past all that. What could be so classified for him to not know?

May tries to catch her breath as her heart pounds rapidly in her chest. She hurries into the cockpit and closes the heavy door behind her. Pain in her chest makes her hope it ends, but it doesn't. She's now wheezing and it's getting even harder to breathe. Reaching for her bag she takes out a small black box and hurriedly opens it with her shaky hands. She hits the needle head in her thigh, feeling the effect as she falls on her knees to the floor.

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><p><em>Let me know what you think!<em>_  
><em>


	2. Chapter 2

_Little bit of Skye and May._

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><p>Skye leans tiredly against the small laptop of hers. Her personal life is a total mess, but only thing that's keeping her from falling apart is this team. She thinks all of them.<p>

Fitz and Simmons. They are both in agony, because they can't change the past and just go the way they were before. Trip admiring his grandfather for the things he did in the back of the day, because what he did it certainly gives them all hope.

Coulson died, because he was stabbed into the chest by Loki and brought to life after he was injected with alien stuff.

And May- she's the person who taught her to be strong emotionally and physically. She honestly first thought May didn't have any feelings, but Coulson told her why she is the way she is. Although she has improved a lot while she has been looking after him. Their bond is deep and she hopes to find that some day.

Skye looks around the empty lounge kind of space. No one's there except her sitting on the comfy couch. She then decides to go to May, who's been a lot in the cockpit nowdays. It bothers her even more knowing that she's deliberately trying to avoid them. Actually not really them, but _him_. She likes puzzles, but _May, _she's a hard one to crack.

May is sitting on the pilot seat. After each attack she's so damn exhausted. Only if she could close her eyes just for a moment. She leans into the backrest and hears someone open the door. Her eyes open tiredly, she knows exactly who it is.

"Hi." Younger agent greets her brightly. Always beam of sunshine and that's what they need in this team. Positivity and hope are what she needs as well. May doesn't turns to face her, but smiles weakly. Skye walks next to her. "Would you mind if I hang out here?"

When May doesn't answer Skye nods. "I try not to babble too much." She said which could only mean she's about to. May tries hard not to roll her eyes. Sometimes Skye is just like Phil. Awkward, but adorable.

Skye sits down and observes the woman next to her. May looks tired. She shouldn't fly so much, not when Trip could fly too.

She can feel Skye's stare and it's starting to annoy her. "Skye." She says and startles the younger woman. "Yeah?" Skye fake coughs.

May turns to face her the first time since she came in. "You're not talking." She says with a low voice giving out the fact she sounds exhausted and little breathless.

"Right." Skye promptly says and then smiles. May turns to look the monitors. "So umm. You think he's going to be okay?" She suddenly asks and May's eyes widen momentarily.

"Director I mean." She explains hesitately. "You think he's going to stay okay after finding that stupid city he kept carving everywhere?"

"Skye." May sighs.

"I know Coulson said he's alright, but who knows what happens when he gets to the city right? I mean what if-" That's when May cuts her off.

"He's not going insane, Skye. When he gets to the city then he's likely trying to find something in there. Something that affected-" She suddenly stops talking and Skye decides to continue for her. "That affected the alien? What if alien's mission was to destroy the city? What if-"

May glares at her. "Stop. You're going mad if you're gonna continue with this. We just need to trust him. Trust him, Skye." She whispers the last words. Skye nods.

"Good." May says and reaches out to press some button. Skye notices her hand is shaking. Shaking because she has no strengh left. "Too much tea."

Skye nods and yawns. May smiles. "You could use a cup."

Skye stands up. "Okay that's my cue..." She suddenly turns around and leans closer to May. "You should sleep. I'm sure Trip is happy to fly the bus for a while." And with that she leaves.

May knows she should, but that could make her look suspicious. Because she usually flied or the bus was on autopilot. Now she has been hiding in here, knowing Coulson wouldn't come to disturb her while she sat on this chair, but if she went out he'd come to her.

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><p><em>I know Skye's changed after season 1, but I'd like to think she's still that funny awkward snarky girl.<em>


	3. Chapter 3

_Little bit of Coulson and Skye as well._

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><p>Phil Coulson is sitting on his chair, resting his elbows on the table leaning forward, holding his forehead with both hands. He can feel a headache coming from reading all these files in front of him. He couldn't shake the feeling he was responsible for all those people who were injected with that same alien stuff he was injected with. They killed each other, because all they wanted was to find answers for those symbols.<p>

He sighs and leans his head to his left hand and takes a pen with his free hand. That's when he remembers the earlier conversation with May. If he was honest it became more like interrogation than a-concerned-friend-trying-to-help conversation he had planned.

"_Do I know this person you are trying to protect?"_

"_You do." _

The almost silent whisper and slight emotion in her eyes told more than the actual words. Coulson closes his eyes as he exhales_._ That could have gone better if he hadn't pushed. She might have told him herself in time or when she was allowed to.

This agony of not talking to her is getting to him. She's the person he always listens to. She's his person. She listens and is there, when he needs- Suddenly he stands up, unreadable look on his face.

Skye knocks on the open door and looks at him with a funny expression on her face. "You okay?" she asks and he clears his throat. "Yeah. Yeah.." He says still deep in thought. Skye walks in. "I was in the cockpit, hanging out with May." She points into the corridor with her thumb.

"Uh-huh." Coulson says as he takes his jacket from the backrest of a chair. "I don't know if I should say this, but-" She stops talking and it gets his attention.

"But?" He asks as he pulls the jacket on. Skye's iPhone buzzes and she quickly glances at it.

"I don't think I should, I mean it's really not my place to talk about it." She says thoughtfully, thinking what May would do if she actually told the Director that she seemed exhausted.

"Skye."

She hears the threat in his voice. "She won't like it." Words come out before she completely thought them through. She winces. Now he knows.

"You are talking about May." He says out loud and May stops in her tracks few steps away from the doorway of his office. Her eyes rapidly searching, trying to think a way out of this situation. That babble Skye's gonna hear it the next time she sees her.

Skye nods to him and puts iPhone back to her pocket. "Don't tell me." Coulson scrubbed a hand down his face. He doesn't know what to do.

May's shocked by his reply and Skye doesn't find the words to say something back. "Anything else?" He looks slowly down to the floor and up to her eyes.

Skye tries to hold in what she's about to say to him. Telling him that he was outrageous, May is the only person who has truly supported him and now he didn't want to do the same for her. Unbelievable. Looking down she bites her lower lip and looks up to meet his eyes.

Skye raises her eyebrows as she finally decides to answer. "No."

"Okay." He turns back to his desk.

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><p><em>Phil Coulson is acting weird and being a douchebag in a same chapter. What?! Well. It's not what you think.<em>


	4. Chapter 4

May couldn't believe what she heard. She doesn't know if he is doing this for her or him. Not meddling into her business, because she's trying to protect someone or because he is still mad at her, because he thinks she's working for her mother.

May's pulled out of her thoughts, when footsteps approach. It's Skye. She looks around the hallway for hideout, but there's no place to go. Trapped again. She should have just left, when she had the chance.

Skye walks out of his office to the hallway and starts walking other way. May sighs relieved and leans to the wall. She's so tired, but knowing he's still in that room makes it harder for her to walk by it. So she decides to do what she has been doing for days. Avoid him.

"May." She hears his voice and looks up. Coulson's standing in his office doorway, watching her leaning and looking not herself. She panics and turns around.

He walks quickly to her, grabbing gently her shoulder to stop her from leaving. She's shaking so he lets go. "I'm sorry I scared you. I honestly thought you knew I was standing right there." He explains quickly.

"It's fine." Her voice deep and little breathless, because he got her off guard. Not many people could do that to her. She looks up to meet his eyes, but he's not looking into hers. He's observing her. Does she really look that bad?

"Phil." Her voice quiet and yet demanding. He finally meets her eyes. "Are you feeling alright?" He asks before thinking ahead. He knows what her answer's going to be so he continues. "I talked with Skye."

May looks away. "She didn't tell you."

"What?" He looks baffled and she looks at him again. "You didn't want to know."

His eyes widen in realization. She heard the whole conversation and has now the upper hand, because he's caught.

"So let's not do this." She says and walks away.

Coulson leans his back against the wall. She heard them. How long was she standing here? It's torture for him to not know. He didn't mean this to happen. She means a lot to him. A lot. And he knows her well. No one could read her like he does. He has known her long enough to know. She might not show it, but he can always detect it from her voice. He made her sad and that's exactly the opposite he wanted.

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><p><em>May heard something that she'll never forget. <em>

_Good thing though is that Phil Coulson is not a douchebag after all._

_Ps. More chapters coming soon!  
><em>


	5. Chapter 5

_Shield continues to follow the bad guys, which means only one thing. Field job._

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><p>"May do you copy?" She hears Coulson repeat himself again. She has a clear shot at the target and she needs to remind him of that. "I have a clear shot!" She says and starts to feel little breathless.<p>

"Back away!" Coulson says now more serious. He'd be damned if he let her shoot the last person who could give them answers. May cringes as she puts the rifle on the gate of the rooftop. Still holding a clear shot on the target.

"Agent May! I'm ordering you to back away!" She hears his order as she covers her chest with her hand. Her heart beating rapidly in her chest as she starts to see black dots drowing her vision.

"AGENT MAY DO YOU COPY?!" Skye's startled, when he yells and Hunter who's just turned on his comm on the field, spills his coffee to the ground. He takes his iPhone and texts to Skye with large capitals. WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!

May's eyes close and she falls to the ground unconscious as Director Coulson waits impatiently for her reply.

Skye types fast on her laptop. His eyes widen, when he sees May's signal disappear. "May?!" His voice shocked and yet desperate that she might have done something unthinkable. Skye runs next to him laptop in her arms. "What happened?" He hears worry in Skye's voice.

"She must have taken out the comm." He mumbles, because it wasn't May at all. She stops using the comm, when the job is done.

"She wouldn't do that." Skye says nervously, thinking the same he did. "No. You're right. She would never do that. Anyone got a visual on May?" He asks from everybody on the field.

Hunter looks around as Trip looks up to the rooftop from his newspaper. "Anyone?" They hear him ask again, but sounding a bit more concerned.

"Trip?" Hunter asks casually as he tries to remain his cover and takes a sip of his coffee. Trip looks up again. "Negative. How you want us to proceed?"

Coulson turns to face Skye. "Skye, Find her. You guys proceed as planned."

Skye nods and opens a map, where she sees every shield members locations by phones or other devices and no one knew of the program except Coulson who wanted Skye to program it after Fury named him Director.

She finds her quickly and realizes May is still on the rooftop. "Director." She gets Coulson's attention and he comes beside her. She points her laptop screen. "May is where she's supposed to be."

He doesn't know what to say anymore and Skye looks up to see his unreadable face. "What do we do?" She has no idea what he is thinking.

"Nothing." He says and walks back to the center of the room. She's taken back it and that's it for her. This is the second time he has given the expression that he doesn't care for May anymore or did he ever?!

"We have no idea if she is okay or if she's held at gunpoint or-" She raises her voice to him and he turns back to face her. This time his facial expression showing he's surprised by her say back and it silences her for a short moment.

Coulson motions with his right hand, which clearly reads what-the-hell-was-that-Skye. She sighs and comes to stand in front of him.

"You said it yourself. To her actually. We protect our own." She mimicks the last sentence with his voice. "I thought it meant we care about each other, because we're a team or more like a family. So why-"

He sighs and hears Hunter say target is on the move. "Follow." He says and turns off his comm. "Skye. I need to trust her." He says with a softer tone.

"But what if something happened to her?" Skye asks the question he's been trying to put his mind off from and now he needs to say to her what he's been thinking of May, when he worries of her.

"She's a fighter, Skye. She can take care of herself."

Skye shakes her head negatively. "I don't mean that. I mean she-" She stops talking, because she had sworn May to not say a word about her to him.

Coulson widens his eyes to make her continue. "Skye. She what?" He furrows his brows now getting serious, when he thinks back what she had tried to tell him few days earlier. He swallows and starts to piece the puzzle together one conversation after another.

She couldn't be. She looks fine. She is fine.

Unfortunately he can't turn off his mind of thinking otherwise and he needed to hear it. "Is something wrong with May?" He asks just above a whisper and it makes Skye raise her head a bit higher. Her eyes showing the concern that she now saw in his eyes.

Coulson does care. He does worry about May and it makes her smile slightly, but concern never leaves her eyes. She needs to tell him about her, even though she's gonna get it from May. Her life could be in jeopardy and she can't risk it. No matter what the punishment could be from her after telling him this.

"I have noticed her being absent minded, being on her own not even bothering to come listen fitzsimmons or me babble our own stuff and-" Coulson starts to feel more and more worried after every word she says.

Skye exhales after babbling it all fast. "Few days ago I went to her and she- She was exhausted and-" He looks down to the floor as he tries to remember few days back. Back to the moments he had with her before all this.

"She was shaking." She stops talking and he looks up to meet her eyes. "Are you sure?" He asks now hoping she was mistaken. "Yes. She blamed it on having too much tea, but I know she wouldn't tell me something like that unless she had a reason to say it."

He nods. "Cover up the real reason." He continues for her turning to stare at the big screen on the wall.

"Exactly. I'm worried she can't sleep. What if she was too exhausted out there and blacked out? She's May, but she's still a human being and humans can't function wihout sleep." He hears her words, but they're muffled.

It all made sense now. May wasn't protecting someone like he had guessed. She was protecting herself. There's also no way her mother is involved in this. She wouldn't want her to worry, because she's the person that taught her to be a survivor and that made her an excellent fighter.

Skye's right. They need to get to her. He no longer cares if she tells him off after all this. He turns on his comm. "Trip. Plan B."

Trip stops in his tracks and takes his iPhone to look busy in the streets. "Sir?" They didn't have a plan B. They had a plan G.

"Go to May. Check if she's okay." He says with a lower voice and Trip puts the iPhone on his ear as he starts walking back. "I'll do that." Trip says and notices a beautiful woman walking forward who heard him so he winks at her and she blushes.

"Trip, remember the camera. We need to see she's okay." Skye adds and Trip smiles. "Yes, Ma'am." He says jokingly and Coulson turns to face her with a lifted eyebrow. Skye rolls her eyes and shakes her head.

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><p><em>Okay. May's not okay and Coulson is starting to realize how serious it could be. <em>


	6. Chapter 6

_This was hard one to write. Lot of stuff happening. Enjoy._

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><p>May's eyes snap open and she inhales heavily like she has hold her breath long under water. She uses all her strenght to sit upright to take a small black box from her jacket's pocket. Vision blurry, hands trembling as the pain in her chest starts feeling like someone is standing on it.<p>

Hunter follows the target as Trip is watches the number of floors light up one by one in the elevavor. May's hands tremble, but finally she opens the box and hits the needle head to her thigh. Coulson walks back and forth as Skye writes information on the map of the target.

Trip opens the rooftop door and looks around. He doesn't see her. May catches her breath, when the pressure on her chest starts to disappear. Coulson turns to Skye, when they both hear Hunter say. "He stopped."

Trip sees a black booth and starts jogging to that direction. "May?" May coming to his full view. He gasps as he sees what condition she is in.

"Shut it down." She mumbles and he shuts down the camera on his iPhone. The direct camera feed starts showing snow. "Trip?" Coulson asks for explanation for it.

"I'm fine." She tries convince him so she stands up, but stumbles and Trip catches her before her knees give away. "She's fine." Trip says and Coulson sighs in relief. "Good. Good. Return to the Bus."

May sees him turn off the comm. "Okay. Now tell me what the hell is going on?!" Trip raises his voice to her, but she doesn't need to tell him off. She knows it's because he's concerned.

He looks down to the ground and sees the black box. "Are you high?" He asks ridiculously and May chuckles to that. "Okay. You're not high. I know that. So is that some kind of medication." He eases her back on the ground and she sits. May breathes deep. "Yes."

Trip kneels beside her and gives her medication box back. "How long you're going to keep him in the dark?" She's surprised he didn't ask what illness she has. "As long as I can. So I want you to-"

"Keep this to yourself." He finishes for her and smiles. "Don't worry. I got it." He says quietly and then observes her. Exhaustion written all over her face.

She looks up to meet his eyes. "Thank you."

He nods. "I'll pack things up. Just rest." He makes her lean against the gate and starts packing the rifle. "You do know I'm going to tell Simmons. Right?"

She turns to face him. "No." She says with low growl and he kneels beside her. "May, Look at yourself. You need a doctor." He reasons her and looks at her long enough in the eyes that she turns to look away.

"I know. But I don't want Simmons to keep secrets from him." May looks up at him. "I wish you didn't knew about this."

Trip síghs. "Okay fine, but I'm gonna get you help. Let me help you. Do you know your diagnosis? Who gives the drugs?" May smirks. He's asking all the tough questions at once. Smart man.

"My diagnosis was given by my friend in Bahrain." She says quietly and his eyes show the pity she didn't want. "I'm surprised you haven't asked yet."

"Well it's good if I don't know right? If Coulson starts to suspect and interrogate me of you."

Trip is smart. Phil and she created a great team and yet better SHIELD organisation. Fury did good, but they do better. She sighs and Trip glances at her. "You okay?"

May nods slowly, she can't say it, because she feels like she's won't be okay. She feels she's getting worse as the days go by. He grabs her gear and holds out his hand to her. "Don't worry. I won't say a word."

She takes hold of his hand and helps her to her feet. She's still shaky and he grabs hold of her waist to steady her. "Good." She says and does something she would never do. Accepts his help.

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><p><em>Now Trip knows she's sick. Will he keep her secret?<em>


	7. Chapter 7

_She's good...really good._

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><p>Coulson finally sits down after walking back and forth. Skye sits down next to him. "Sir." He's exhausted, but this mission is their priority. "What is it?"<p>

"Trip sended a text." She says and passes the iPhone to him without reading it. He quickly glances at her and then gadget in his hand. "This isn't from him."

Skye furrows her eyebrows. "What?"

He stands up. "This is from May. I know how she thinks. How she writes. This is her." He massages the bridge of his nose. "She's doing it again..." He mumbles and Skye's about to ask, but then decides not to.

May sits in the backseat of a taxi. She bailed the moment she had a chance. Leaving Trip behind was her plan, when she saw him on that rooftop.

Trip keeps searching for her until he gives up. He taps his jeans pockets. Oh hell no. He turns on the comm. "May took off."

"We know." Coulson replies casually.

"She took my iPhone." Trip mutters as he covers his mouth with his hand.

"I'll get you a new one." Coulson says with a hint of humor in his voice. Skye suppressed her laugh, but her throat made a noise that sounded like a snort.

Trip rolls his eyes. "I don't want a new one." He mumbles as he goes.

Hunter's been smiling during this short conversation. "Feeling a bit down there buddy? Not able to keep your eye on her."

Trip walks faster. "Shut up."

Skye then lets out a laugh and Coulson turns to stare at her with a serious look. She covers her mouth and nods repeatedly until he turns to look back at the screen. He was in no mood for this. He has no idea why May had to take off to Thailand. He wanted to see her so badly, especially because he wanted to be wrong. That she doesn't have a health problem.

May hits dial and waits patiently until she hears. "Zhāohū."

"Qiaohui." She says her friend's name and hears soft sigh of relief. "Melinda. It's so good to hear from you." She says with a heavy chinese accent and continues, before she can butt in. "I have been worried about you."

"I know. I need your help." She gets right to the point and Qiaohui hears the urgency in her voice. "Okay. I'll call Michael. Are you feeling up to fly the plane?"

It's good to have friends, who have power and yet be smart. "Yes. Xièxiè." May says softly.

Qiaohui smiles on a sunny beach in Bahrain. "Contact me if anything is wrong. Fly safe."

In his office Phillip Coulson stares the file on his desk. Agent Melinda May. He had closed the door of his office the moment he heard Hunter say someone else had killed their target and now he has no idea what to do.

All he knows is that he needs her. Here. To tell him what he should do. He can't contact Fury anymore. He pushed his luck the last time he called him and even then he wasn't happy hearing from him.

Closing his eyes he can't turn his mind off of May. The possibility of her not coming back is- He can't even think it. He grabs his iPhone and stares the name he had earlier picked up. Agent Antoine Triplett. May has his iPhone. She contacted them with it. All he has to do is press dial.

_"I have a clear shot!" He hears her eager voice._

_"Back away." He doesn't hear her reply. "May do you copy?"_

_"I have a clear shot!" She says again._

_"Back away Agent May! I'm ordering you to back away!"_

He was harsh, but she wasn't realistic. He tried to protect her. Anyone could have seen the rifle's flash come from the highest building of the town. He also knows May would have made her escape, but they didn't know if other agencies were tracking him as well. He couldn't risk it. Couldn't risk her.

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><p><em>May bailed. Of course she did and Coulson is not handling it well.<em>


	8. Chapter 8

_I'm so anxious to hear what you have though so far._

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><p>May's eyes open slowly, when the annoying beeping gets louder and louder. Quickly realizing she isn't in her bunker in the Bus, but in Bahrain. Qiaohui's unknown basement, which is more like a underground hospital and surgery floor.<p>

Her friend is asleep in a chair next to the bed. She clears her throat and Qiaohui's eyes open. She didn't mean to wake her. "Sorry."

Woman is fast on her feet checking the monitors next to her. May observes her friend's face and tries to read her, but with no succeess. "Tell me."

Qiaohui stops in her tracks and meet her the deed brown reddish eyes.

"How long?" May's voice is just above a whisper and Qiaohui sits on the edge of her bed. "I'm just going to give you the facts that I do know." She nods slowly for her to continue. "Last time you were here-"

"You told me I had infection in my heart. You told me to rest and gave me medication." May says now thinking back to it.

"Yes." She pauses. "Have you rested at all? Slept?" She sounds like annoyed teacher who's student hasn't done it's homework.

May furrows her eyebrows at her. "It's been really hectic in the S.H.I.E.L.D. You should know. You treat our people." She mocks her. They have always been this close. Like sisters.

"This is serious, Melinda." Qiaohui says with a low voice and May rolls her eyes. Hating everything the moment her prediction came true. "Well. It's obvious I'm not getting better so...How long do I have?" She asks, while staring to space.

There's no way Qiaohui can win this game with her. "Weeks if you are continuing the way you are. How many attacks have you had?"

She tries to keep her mind off of the timeline, but May's blown away with it. Weeks. "Two mild and three stronger ones- Weeks?" She asks astonished. So she's not able to go back?

"But it may not come to that. If you let me help you." Her friend says fast.

"Let me do the heart surgery." They look at each other, but each won't say a word. And she eventually looks down at her hands. Thinking of possibilities she could have rested if she really wanted to. She could have made Trip fly the bus for few nights.

"Surgery?" She glances at her friend after a moment of silence. "Isn't it dangerous given the fact I still have the infection in my heart?"

Qiaohui sighs relieved over the fact Melinda now understands how serious this is. She couldn't explain the necessary of resting and sleeping to her the last time she was here due to an emergency. She had just given her emergency pain and breathing relief. "You should have called me after the first one."

"I couldn't breathe. Pressure in my chest hurt like hell. I had to use the medicine you gave me." May says quickly, but her friends stares her down.

"You should have called me, Melinda." Qiaohui states firmly. "Do you have any idea how serious it could've been if you didn't have the medication?!"

"I know, but you are still gonna tell me." May mumbles and her friend gives her a death glare, making her smirk like she won. It's funny seeing her like this. It wasn't often she was so pissed off at her.

"You could have had a heart attack! Or worse a stroke!" She raises her voice at her, making May blink, before answering. "But I didn't."

The room get silent and Qiaohui looks at her chart. "You need to stay."

May looks up in the ceiling. Here she is and there's nothing she can do for herself anymore. Now it's up to her friend to fix her. She trusts her, but she doesn't trust her own heart. And how is she going to explain to Phil that she isn't coming back. She promised she'd always look after him. The moment he became the new Director she promised to stand by him.

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><p><em>What do you think she'll do? Will she stay?<em>


	9. Chapter 9

Hunter stays put outside of the motel where the killer of their HYDRA target now currently stayed. Skye is starting to get annoyed, when the bored guy keeps babbling and even worse. Humming and that's enough for her. "Hunter."

Hunter stops immediately. He is happy to hear her speak again. Maybe she'll keep him company. "Skyyyeee." He sings her name and she rolls her eyes.

"Shut up." She hears him sigh and just knows what he's about to say next. "I'm so booored, keep me company. Pleeease." He whines, but to his luck Coulson hears everything he says, when he walks in his office.

"How long this has been going on?" He asks and Skye looks up to smile slightly. "To the point that he's annoying the hell out of me."

Coulson gives her a smile and Skye feels relieved to see it. He hasn't smiled since May left. She knows he misses May. She misses her too very much. May would be able to shut Hunter up in seconds and make point, when Coulson seemed to spin out of control. She's thankful he has listened to her, when no one else told him off.

"Skyeee..." They hear Hunter sing her name again and Coulson winks at her. Oh no, this is gonna be good. "Come on, don't be mean."

"Agent Hunter."

Hunter's eyes widen. Oh crap. "Director."

"Stop disturbing Skye." Coulson sighs. Sometimes he felt like he managed kids instead of brilliant and capable agents.

"Okay." They heard Hunter answer after a short pause and Skye threw her head back. "Thank god." She mumbled, while Coulson sat on his seat and turned on the map of his agents' whereabouts.

Trip walks down to the cargo hold. He stops in his tracks, when he hears Fitz and Simmons talk. Correction; Yell and apparently at each other. He doesn't know if he should interfere or not so he stays put and does what he does best. Eavesdrop.

Fitz turned around and closed his eyes, hoping he wouldn't hear her talk. Of course he knew it wouldn't work, but he has had enough of this.

"Of course I can!" He turns around and Simmons takes a step back, even though there's table between them. "You just don't get it. I can't change who I am, because- because Ward ruined my brain! I can't- can't even-"

"Talk?" Simmons continues for him, knowing he hated that more than anything. But this conversation has been the longest they have had since. Since everything.

Fitz run his fingers through his curly hair. "Don't do that! I hate that! Why an earth would you-" he stops, when Simmons walk on the same side of the table. Standing few steps from him.

"You don't understand. This is the first time we have really talked since-" She stops and looks down to the floor. Fitz sighs and keeps walking back and forth, but then stops in front of her. Not close, but not too far.

"I want you to know that-" His voice is low and soft and she looks up to meet his eyes. "I really- really wanted to- to- " He sighs to calm himself. "Save you." He continued and she blinks, hoping she won't tear up. "I don't regret anything."

"I do." She whispers and it's his time to feel the same effect. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I agreed to go undercover."

He shakes his head. "You don't-"

"You have to know. You need to know that-

Trip realizes he doesn't want to know more. He hopes those two figure things out. They've been avoiding each other every chance they got.

He remembers a similar case. May and Coulson. He heard them talk in Coulson's office few weeks ago and wished he didn't, because then his intrigue got the best of him and listened how it ended. It didn't end well.

Qiaohui talks in chinese to a female nurse, who nods after every order she gives her. Nurse leaves and she heads to meet her friend. She opens the door to May's room. She freezes and drops the chart to the floor.


	10. Chapter 10

_I have lots of ideas. I just need to "timeline" them. I hope you're liking so far. Here's Chapter 10._

* * *

><p>May walks toward the plane she landed. She regrets the fact she left without telling Qiaohui, but she doesn't have time and she needs to do this. It's gonna haunt her before the surgery if she doesn't see him. This could be the last time she sees Phil. She needs to tell him a perfect lie <em>one last time<em>.

She walks up the stairs to the plane, and suddenly she feels dizzy and someone grabs hold of her. She panics and is about to hit him on the stomach with her elbow.

"Qiaohui called me." She hears a familiar voice and turns to face him. First seeing his face blurry before it clears. "Michael."

He smiles and makes her sit on the step of the stairs. "She told me everything. She had a hunch you might be here."

May takes a deep breathe. "I need to go and if you try to stop me then it won't be pretty." she says with a dangerously low voice.

"It sure isn't. That dizzy spell you just had made it clear enough." He mocked her, but it made her realize she's weaker than she thought.

"Qiaohui told me you want to go back to the S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters." He hold out his hand and May looks up. "So what are we waiting for?" He smiles.

"You- You're gonna fly?" She stammers, which very unlike her. Michael grabs May's hand and pulls her to her feet. "You need to see him. I get it. So does Qiaohui."

May smiles. "Thank you."

Skye keeps glancing at Coulson. He seems to staring the map. "Something wrong?" She asks, her eyes never leaving the laptop screen. He turns around to see her. "I just-" He stops and she looks up. "It doesn't feel right."

Skye furrows her eyesbrows. "What doesn't?"

Coulson takes off his jacket and streches his arms, before answering. "He hasn't moved. If you were working for Hydra. Wouldn't you move a lot? Every hour?" He takes the controller and clicks a new window open on the screen, which shows a live feed of the motel.

"That's true. If I was him, I'd move my place a lot." Skye thinks of May and hopes she comes back soon. She knows well how villains thought.

Hunter has found entertaintment by throwing popcorns to his mouth. "Hunter." He hears Coulson's voice and as startled he throws the popcorn on the top of his head. "Yeah?"

"Any movement?" He asks and hears some rustling, before Hunter answers. "No. It's dead over here."

"He must be expecting someone. Keep your eyes on the exits and windows." He hears the order and nods. "You got it."

Coulson turns off the comm and turns to Skye. "Send Trip as a backup. I have a feeling he's not able to focus since he's eating popcorn and all." He says not so amused and Skye snorts.

* * *

><p><em>Looks like she's willing to lie to him. She doesn't want to do a disappearing act, because she knows him. He'd look for her and wouldn't stop.<br>_


	11. Chapter 11

_I'm still writing the next chapter, but I'll post it as soon as it's finished. _

_More Skye and Simmons. Guys in the field and of course Coulson._

* * *

><p>Simmons has been really quite after they joked with Trip before he left to cover Hunter's ass. Skye walks in the lab and sees her in a whitecoat. "Simmons." She greets her, hoping she didn't startle her. Simmons turns and smiles. "Skye."<p>

Skye sits down on one of the stools. "Whatcha doing?" She asks interested, when Simmons does her lab stuff.

"I think you know." She smirks and Skye smiles. She must still be testing GH-325. She doesn't give up easily. That's what makes her so great.

"I know. I just wanted to company you, I guess." She smiles uncomfortably and Simmons' smile fades. "Any news about her?"

Skye looks down and shakes her head negatively. "I hope she's alright." Simmons mumbles and Skye quickly looks up. "What makes you say that?" She stammers.

Simmons breathes deep and sits down, but continues her work. "She looked a bit pale to me. I have wanted to ask her to come and see me about it, but I didn't have a chance. Us being at war with HYDRA and all."

She nods. "If I were you. I don't think I would have dared to." Simmons smiles to that. "I thought like that for a minute, but then I thought about her and I just wanted her to be okay."

"Yeah." Skye whispers and thinks back, when she was sitting next to the woman. Seeing her hand shaking and telling her a obvious lie about it.

Coulson is deep in thought. He needs to figure out how Whitehall of all people would be involved with HYDRA. What do they have that he doesn't?

"May I-" He turns around to find no one in the room. Exhaling he closes his eyes and scrubs a hand down his face. This can't go on like this. She needs to come back to him. She has to. He needs her.

"Director." He hears in his ear and realizes Trip must have heard him. Great. Now he must think he's gone insane for real. "Yeah?"

"Did she make contact?" Trip put his head down and the lid of his hat covers his face, when a biker passes him by.

Coulson really wanted her to contact him. He wants to so badly hear her voice. Hear that she's alright. "No." He says with a low voice and hears a soft "Oh."

"What's going on over there?"

Hunter takes a sip of his coca cola. "Nada Si-" Trip interrupts him. "He's right. There's nothing happening."

Coulson shakes his head. "Back away, but don't lose visual of the exits and windows of the hotel."

"I'm as far as I can be." Hunter says sounding a bit offended, that boss didn't trust his cover and Trip ends up just rolling his eyes. "No you are not."

"I'm to." Hunter argues back and Coulson realizes he needs to stop them or he'll really go insane.

"You-" Trip is about to argue, but Director interrupts him.

"Hunter!" He raises his voice and they both shut up. "Back away."

Hunter starts the engine of his car. "Yes, Sir."

"Trip."

Trip freezes. He heard the annoyence in his voice. He's been really edgy since May left.

"Same for you." Coulson says as he looks the map of their whereabouts.

"Okay."

Coulson turns off the comm and massages his temples. He needs May back. It's like a circus around here. Handling these agents that seemed to act more like children now that she isn't present is harder than he thought. She has always handled them so well.

He walks in front of the window of his office and crosses his arms.

"Come back." He says quietly. Hint of emotion behind them which Skye and Simmons heard as they were walking by of his office. Both giving each other a worried look.

* * *

><p><em> He wanted May to be part of his team and I think all of us (okay more like philinda shippers) know that was only a partial reason. He trusts her. So will this next lie of hers part them for good or get them closer? Because secrets have a way of coming out. So how does he find out? How he'll react or is there time for him to react at all?<em>


	12. Chapter 12

_I was so nervous to publish this chapter, but I hope you like it._

* * *

><p>Coulson had finally given them a order to go in the motel and check the room the target's killer stayed. Dead end. No one was there. Hunter felt down, but Coulson let him know it wasn't his fault. HYDRA is always one step ahead of them.<p>

They fly off back to the secret S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters. Skye finally found a source of the call the man made after he shot their target. She's been tracking it and finally got a lead. Making Coulson make the decision to follow the trace.

May rushes out of the car, even though Michael calls after her. She needs to see him. Everyone. Bus starts moving and she gasps. She jogs as fast as she's able to the area where she knew they can see her. Praying that they would notice.

In the cockpit Trip glances at the cameras. "May." He mumbles and suddenly Skye appears behind him. "May?!" She smiles widely and starts to leave. "Wait! Just wait!" She yells as she leaves from the cockpit, leaving very happy Trip behind. Skye runs as fast as she can toward Director's office.

Meanwhile Trip opens the cargo hold and May exhales relieved. They noticed. Michael comes to stand next to her and put her bag down on the ground. "I don't think I need to remind you how important time is for you." He says concerned, when he watches her put hand on her knees. Breathing heavily, like someone who had just run 10k.

"I know." She says under her breath. "This won't take long." She stands staight and goes into eased military position.

Simmons is first to see her. She gasps her name and smiles brightly. May smiles slightly and gives Michael a look to leave. He nods and starts walking toward the car.

She runs to her and surprises her with a hug. "You're back!"

Coulson hears fast footsteps and looks up. "May. She's here."Skye breathed heavily, but managed to form words that he understood.

His eyes widen and he tosses the remote on one of the chairs behind him. He runs from the office and leaves Skye behind breathing heavily before running after him.

May sees Fitz and gives her a warm smile. He then starts walking toward her. Simmons let's her go, but doesn't stop smiling. "It's good to see you."

"You too." She nods. Her eyes never leaving the two younger brilliant agents in front of her. They seem to more settled than the last time she saw them. She's very proud of them.

They all hear hurried steps and turn their gazes toward the stairs. Coulson is first to appear and May swallows. He looks really ruffled. No jacket nor tie. Tucked sleeves and first two buttons opened.

Two younger agents take few steps back as the man in charge walks toward her. He stops, when he's right in front of her. Both silent, just examining each others tired eyes and facial features. That's when she blinks and gives him a small smile. His eyes brighten just enough for her to see.

"Hi." His voice is rough and he immediately clears his throat.

She looks over his shoulder and sees Skye walk down the stairs and their eyes meet. Skye looks very happy to see her.

May hears he's little breathless and meets his eyes. Did he run?

She swallows all her emotions, hoping he won't see. "Hi."

He heard and it warmed his heart. She missed him as much as he missed her. She missed this team and now to him it felt complete.

Trip watches the warm sensors and blinks quickly. "No.. no no." He says and presses a button.

"Guys. We have company. Someone just shot down our shields." They all hear and reunion with May is over.

All except May take their comms from their pockets and put them in their ears. "Where they are coming from?" Coulson is first to ask and May then realizes Michael is outside.

She turns and is about to leave the Bus, but then someone grabs her arm and she turns. He's holding on. Tight. He's not letting go.

"May." He says as others run different directions in the bus.

She shakes her head. "Michael. He's out there. He needs to come in!" She tries to free his hold, but he makes her come closer. "May."

She frees herself from his hold and backs away. "I need him. If you decide to leave, then leave without me. I'm not leaving him behind!" She turns and starts running.

He stands frozen for few seconds until he hears Skye yell his name. COULSON." Waking him from his thoughts. "How long?" He starts running up the stairs.

"Two minutes!" Trip answers.

She has two minutes to come back. Who's he kidding? He won't leave until May's on board with her friend. He waits.

As exhausted she is and as blurry she sees everything she won't stop running. Heart pounding in her chest makes her press the chest with her left hand.

Michael is alarmed to see her like this and gets out of the car. "May?" He runs to her and she wheezes and coughs.

"We need to go back in the bus." She blinks, fighting hard over the black dots drowing her vision. Michael puts his arm around her back and they start running, but her knees give away and he takes her in his arms. He hopes she makes it to the Bus. She can't die. Not when she came to save his sorry ass.

* * *

><p><em>She's back. But for how long?<em>

_Thank you for the feedback, guys! Give me more so I can work more enthusiastically.  
><em>


	13. Chapter 13

It's kind of confusing, but it will clear up once I get to the "good part" of the story that I have been planning.

* * *

><p>She tries to keep her eyes open, when Michael talks to to her. She can't understand the muffled words, but suddenly she feels that sharp needle in her thigh and she gasps air in her lungs. Eyes wide open.<p>

"Can you hear me?"

May finally meets the man's eyes and he sighs in relief. She looks around and realizes he has put her sit down, leaning her back on the tire of the car. Hand on her chest, feeling her heart beat slowing down. "It happened again." She whispers under her breath and he nods.

"May!" Skye yells and their eyes widen. May mouths to Michael. _Hide. Hide._

"Coulson said it isn't save down there! You and err your friend should come up." Skye rolls her eyes and looks down from the stairs.

"We'll be there in a minute!" Michael yells back and May punches his arm with all her strenght. He mouths her clearly. _OW!_

"Okay!"

Michael rubs his arm. "Why did you do that?" He asks in disbelief and that's when May raises to her feet, but wobbles. He quickly leans her back on the car door and takes her arm to support her.

"See? There's no way they don't notice this." May breathes deep and closes her eyes to stop room from spinning. He looks at her and glances at her feet. "Yes. That's true."

She opens her eyes slowly and stares at him with a look that said 'tired of your bullshit'. "I can help you and you can say that you twisted your ankle badly."

"He'll never believe that." She sighs. Bus starts to raise from the ground with a slight tremmor. Michael looks around. "You have better idea?"

Coulson keeps calling to other secret base as Skye looks up now and then from her computer screen that had been set up in the lounge. Hunter and Bobbi keep bickering over smallest things as Mack rolls his eyes and keeps working on the weapon maps with Fitz.

Jemma walks down the stairs to cargo hold and her lab. She suddenly freezes, when she hears a soft gasp. "Hello?" She looks around and that's when May walks slowly towards her.

"Simmons." May says with a quiet voice and keeps walking slow to avoid the dizziness. Younger woman's reaction read volumes. She hurriedly walked right beside her. "Are you feeling alright?"

"She's fine." They hear rough man's voice and both turn to look behind May. Michael comes to view and Simmons looks at him suspectively. "And you are?" She asks with not so nice tone.

May turns to face her. "Jemma." She warns her with a low tone, feeling like a mother again to these younger agents. Michael smirks.

"Name is Michael. May's best friend." He said too proudly, which made May to face the man with an annoyed sigh.

"You never came up. Skye was worried." Jemma says, still observing _slightly_ older woman beside her. "You look pale. I want to make some tests."

May immediately shook her head. "No."

"May. You have to. Look at you." She says quickly and points her feet. They are shaking and May curses in her mind for looking so weak. She opens her mouth to protest, but Jemma quickly adds. "You are in no shape to work for him."

"She's right." Michael says, which makes May to give him one of her death glares. "No." She says with a low darker voice. She knows she has gotten worse and it only means one thing.

Jemma feels like she knows what the problem could be for May to protest that. "I know why you don't want to. You already know what's wrong with you.. Don't you?" May doesn't look up to meet her eyes and Simmons nods. "Let me help you."

That's when May meets her eyes. "You can't."

Jemma looks at her confused. "What?" Her voice throaty.

"No one can." May adds and then turns to Michael. "Help Coulson. I'll be up shortly."

"You sure?" He asks and she just nods. "Okay." He says and walks toward the stairs.

"What do you mean?" Jemma has had time to process what she said. Her voice quiet and yet worried. "What do you mean no one can help you?"

May sees the worry and sadness in her eyes and that's exactly what she wants to avoid seeing in Phil's eyes. "You are right. I know what's wrong."

Jemma looks up and blinks quickly, hoping the tears that had swelled in her eyes won't fall. "You're not going to tell me."

May hears her voice break and she looks down to her own feet. "There's nothing you can do."

Jemma quickly turns and grabs a little tighter hold of her arms than she probably meant to. "You don't know that." Her eyes determined. Ready to fight for her. "Tell me everything right now."

"Heart failure." May says suddenly, shocking herself in process. Realizing she has never said the words out loud. Girl in front of her blinks, but in seconds is able to get the emotion away from her eyes. No more shocked.

"I may not be able to save you." She says sadly. "But I sure as hell want to slow the process." She smiles slightly, trying to hide her sadness over the fact she's dying and that makes May smile for the first time in weeks for real. Simmons didn't lie to her. She didn't tell her she would find a way, because there isn't one. Only person who could probably save her life is now in Bahrain. There's no way survives back to Bahrain.

She feels it. Her time is running out.

Meanwhile...

Man glances away from a picture of himself and small baby in in his arms to the beautiful sunset. Grasping the picture to his chest. "Daddy will find you baby girl. I won't stop until I do. I will find you."

* * *

><p><em>It seems like it's getting to the point where everyone is gradually starting to know except the most important person in her life.<em>

_More chapters coming, but I must say I'm going to be extremely busy at work for few days. Just hold on, sweet readers of mine.  
><em>


	14. Chapter 14

_Happy new year! I bet you thought I had given up with this story. I was very busy during December so... but anyway.. Here we go! - Dreamycupcake_

* * *

><p>Phil Coulson runs down the stairs as fast as he can. Now that he has time he's more than anxious to talk with May. The moment Trip turned to look at him with worry, after blasting the biggest damn explosion on their ex secret base. He knew it was serious what he was going to say next. The thing is he left after just hearing her name. Trip knew something about her and he didn't want to hear it from him. He desperately wanted to hear it from her.<p>

"There." Jemma says after putting the needle aside. "Put some pressure on it." She mumbles and turns back to the blood she had taken from her.

Door opens and Jemma gets startled. Phil looks around the room, there's that man whatever his name is, leaning against the table where May is sitting on. May looks at him concerned. He's out of breath again. Did something happen?

He then points a finger at the man beside her. "You. Out." He says between breaths and Michael looks at her. May nods and he leaves. Phil walks hesitately to by her side and sees Jemma must have taken blood before he entered the room.

"Phil?"

He meets her searchful eyes then back on her hand where she pressed with her fingertips.

"Jemma." He says and younger woman turns. "Yes?" She asks awkwardly while holding a small tray.

"Give us a minute."

"Phil." May snaps with a higher tone of hers. She couldn't believe this. Why is he like this? Oh he better not know of her condition. Trip better have not babbled or he's a dead man.

Jemma looks at the two. They look like an old married couple who seem to explode into an argument any moment and she really doesn't want to witness that. Again.

"Sure." She smiles to the pair, turns away and mutters quietly to herself. "Out of my own lab..why not..."

May hops off the table and Phil keeps his eyes on her. He's in her personal space again. Clearly trying to block her way out.

"What is this about?" May looks at him angrily. She can't deal with him right now. She's tired, probably hungry and now dizzy.

He blocks her way again. "You tell me." He stares her down. She sighs and leans to the table. "Michael is waiting for me." She says quietly, hoping he'll give up.

"Then he waits." He says bitterly. He doesn't like this Michael person. He seems to be a very imporant person in her life and the fact he doesn't know him at all makes him wonder. Does he know her at all?

She looks up at him and his eyes soften. It's exactly what he feared. She's not well. Her eyes have lost that something in them, her lips are pale and dry too. It's like life has drain from her.

"May..." He whispers.

She closes her eyes hoping the room would stop spinning.

"Please talk to me."

Melinda May feels that little tuck in her heart as she hears his broken voice. She has felt pain, but this is the worst. She had feared this might come to this. Him seeing her like this. This is exactly what she tried to avoid and yet here she is. Closer to him than she has been in months. If only she could find words to lie to him again.

"No." She hears his frustared inhale and feels him back away from her. She opens her eyes and looks down to the floor. She can't face him now or she'll break down right in front of him.

He doesn't know what to do. She's not telling him anything. It makes him even more angry that this Michael must know since he was just here by her side. Even Trip knows. The guy looked terrified so she must have threatened his life if he told a soul.

"Fine. Fine." His voice steady. No emotion at all. It's like he just said hi to a stranger without smiling. He stares at her, but she won't look at him so he walks away.

She hears the door close behind him and she lets out a sob she had been supressing. Covering her mouth with her hand. Tears falling to her cheeks as she whimpers quietly. She wanted to be near him so badly and yet her protective instics screamed to stay away. Worst case could be that he'll watch her die slowly right before his eyes and she can't have that. She can't do that to him.

* * *

><p><em>You're probably thinking about the man with the picture thing. I hope I can shed some light on that one in the next chapter... So no. Nothing is certain yet.<em>


	15. Chapter 15

_Here it is. It took me a while to publish it, because I wrote two different chapters and I had to decide which one was better for continuance. - Dreamycupcake_

* * *

><p>She always knew, when Phil looked at her. Even with her back on him she knew. She felt it. May closes her eyes as she leans to the cold wall. She's missing him. His looks. After their last conversation. Which ended with him walking away from her. He hasn't since set his eyes on her. He's avoiding her and it hurts. It hurts so bad.<p>

"May?" She hears Michael's voice and opens her eyes. "I'm fine." She says, but feels slightly dizzy and decides to not move.

"I know, but you don't look like it." He says quietly and looks ahead to the hallway, when he hears footsteps. His eyes meet with Phil Coulson's. He looks mad, which makes him wonder. Is he mad at him? May? Or that he's here for her?

Coulson feels like someone just stabbed him on the chest with a knife, opening his old wounds. He's been avoiding May for days and of course he'd see her like this. Pale, tired, leaning against the wall and with Michael by her side. Michael. Who the hell is he anyway? How do they even know each other? Why does he know more than he does?

He looks away and walks back where he came from. He needs to figure out what's wrong with her. Jemma has been watching him differently ever since he told her to leave her own lab. He knows she knows what's wrong.

Coulson starts walking back and forth. But can he do that? Pressure the young woman to tell what's May's physical condition? She looked terrible to him, which keeps making him even more restless and think of the possibilities what could be wrong with her health.

Ever since he walked away from her he has watched her through the cameras. He's seen her getting worse in just few days. May almost passed out two days ago and he _almost_ left the room to rush to her side, but Michael was quickly there for her. After that he couldn't turn the thoughts out of his mind.

Cancer? Serious disease? And the last one being... _Is she dying?_

He stops pacing and turns to look the way he had just come back from. He needs to make things right with her. He'd never forgive himself for pushing her away while she could be... _slipping away._

He'd die inside if she- He can't even finish the thought anymore. He starts walking back and forth again as he takes his cell and texts Jemma to come up. He's determined to make her tell what's wrong with May.

"Ma'am." A man comes next to the older woman with a drink in his hand. "Thank you." Mrs. May says and takes it. She takes a small sip and leans against the comfortable seat by the fire. Her lovely quiet moment is soon over, when her phone starts ringing. She curses in chinese and answers once she sees the ID. "Zhè shì wúyòng. Tíngzhǐ hūjiào wǒ!(this is useless. Stop calling me!)" She says and sighs heavily.

Man on the other line looks the picture in his hand. "Qíngrén wān nín hǎo!(hello darling)" He smiles, when he hears her groan.

"Why do you need to see her now? After all these years." She says and takes a bigger sip of her drink.

"It wasn't my choice to leave! And you know it." He growls and opens his window to drop his cigarette.

"Qiaolian thinks you are dead." She says sharply after hearing his tone change. "No she doesn't. If she is _May_, she doesn't." Man says as he pulls back the drive way.

"If?! Nín érzi de cáishén!(you son of bitch!)" She yells angrily and stands up and to make single wave of her hand and the security men leave the room. "Bìjìng wǒ yǐjīng wèi nín wánchéng! Nǐ hái gǎn xiāngxìn tā shì bùshì nǐ de.(After all I have done for you! You dare to believe that she is not yours.)"

"I always knew how to get on your nerves." Man stops on the red light.

Mrs. May inhales deep to calm herself. "Zhàngfū (husband) Why did you call me? I'm sure you are closer finding her location by now." She sighs and sits down.

"I am." He says sadly and that gets her attention.

"Tīng qǐlái dōu bù tài gāoxìng de. (Don't sound so happy about it.)" She mocks him while she keeps thinking something is wrong. Mother instics kicking in again. She realizes she feels exactly the same, when Melinda came to her after her mission in Bahrain. She was different. Something killed piece of daughter in Bahrain.

"Dāng nǐ zuìhòu yīgè jiàn dào tāle? (When have you last seen her?)" He asks and tries to hide the worry in his voice, but fails.

"Sān gè yuè qián. (Three months ago.) I call her every week. Sometimes she answers, sometimes she doesn't. Why? What's wrong?" She asks now with a panick in her voice. Is her daughter alright?

He sighs heavily and starts driving, when the light turns green. "Tā kàn shàngqù bù. (She doesn't look good.)"

* * *

><p><em>It was funny to write Coulson like this, but I do think he'd distance himself from her if she was to push him away from her personal life. Jemma is in trouble. Will she tell him or will someone interrupt the moment just in time? Ohhh and Stranger with the picture is her father! I hope you liked the twist. More chapters coming your way, when I find time. I'm currently abroad and found this small moment to give this to you. - Dreamycupcake<em>

_Ps. Love some feedback! Tell your opinions of the progress of this story and hopes for what you want to happen in the future chapters! _


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